Extrusion apparatus



y 1965 R. E. MATTSON ETAL 3,181,334

EXTRUS ION APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 16, 1962 INVENTORS. BERTIL G. Wmsmom RICHARD E. MArrso/v flndrus Star/{e fl fmy y 1965 R. E. MATTSON ETAL 3,181,334

EXTRUSION APPARATUS Filed March 16, 1962 3 sh t -s 2 ll INVENTORS. BERT/L 6. Wmsmom RICHARD E. MATTSON Star/Q8 fli'rneys y 1965 R. E. MATTSON ET-AL 3,181,334

EXTRUSION APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 16, 1962 BERT/L G. Wuvs T'ROM By RICHARD E. MA TTSON flndrus Star/ e flmrneys United States Patent 3,181,334 EXTRUSION APPARATUS Richard E. Mattson, Milwaukee, and llertil G. Winstrom, Mequon, Wis, assignors to A. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 16, 1362, Ser. No. 189,132 Claims. (Cl. 72-255) This invention relates to extrusion apparatus and particularly to a run-out support for an extruded metal wirelike element.

Metal wires, strands and similar elements have been formed of relatively light metals, such as aluminum, magnesium and alloys thereof by extruding of a heated metal through an extrusion die. In accordance with one process, a solid or compacted metal billet is placed in the die and ejected through a die opening under great force to provide an elongated Wire-like element or strand. As the wire or extruded strand leaves the die assembly, and is forced forwardly by the following portions thereof, it is supported on a run-out table. The extruded wire tends to curl and twist and a subsequent de-twisting and straightening process is generally employed to remove the adverse deformation of the wire.

The recently issued United States Patent 2,914,170, issued November 24, 1959, to Kent is particularly concerned with providing a special carriage assembly for gripping the outermost end of the extruded wire and positively carrying it over the run-out table in order to eliminate the necessity for stretching and de-twisting operations or the like.

Various other patents have proposed other solutions for preventing warpage of the member. For example, United States Patent 2,830,643, issued April 15, 195 8, provides a special profile corrector for use in connection with extrusion dies.

The use of auxiliary equipment to prevent deformation of the element is relatively expensive and can therefore be justified only in special cases. Applicants have found that normally the warpage or twisting of the wire after the initial portion of the wire is not sufiiciently great to warrant the use of extraneous and separate correction means for mass producing of extruded wire of aluminum, magnesium and the like. That is, only the initial portion of the wire curls and twists to an extent which is difficult or impractical to correct.

During the forming of the initial or leading portion of the wire, the metal moves from the die at a relatively slow speed which gradually increases to a maximum and then diminishes as the formation of the wire is completed. The extrusion velocity is controlled by controlling the velocity of the extrusion ram. The ram velocity is increased to cause the velocity of the extruded rod to increase rapidly to a peak velocity and then decrease gradually to prevent overrunning of the first portion of the extruded rod by the last portion thereof. The increased speed of ejection of the wire pushing on the initial portion of the wire results in the curling, twisting and warping of the initial portion thereof to the extent that it cannot be employed or straightened.

The present invention, based on the above heretofore unknown realization of the problems and cause of the twisting is broadly directed to a run-out support which eliminates the abnormal curling and coiling of the wire and permits simple and economical straightening thereof. In accordance with the present invention, the run-out table includes confining side wall means defining a guiding chamber or passageway for the extruded wire. The spacing between the side walls of the run-out table must not be essentially greater than two times the diameter of the extruded wire. Applicants have found empirically that 3,11%1534 Patented May 4, 1965 C&

the diameter ratio is critical in order to compensate for the non-uniform extrusion speed.

A different object of this invention is to provide a runout table particularly adapted for relatively long extrusions of hundreds of feet.

The base of the run-out table is movably mounted beneath an overlying side wall structure to define the guiding chamber opening for the hot extruded wire. Drive means are provided to insure the complete extrusion is discharged from the extruding guide tube assembly. The extruded wire rapidly cools and becomes self-supporting after which it is discharged from the run-out table by movement of the base with respect to the side wall structure.

The drawings furnished herewith illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of extrusion apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of a portion of FIG. 1 illustrating entering portions of the run-out table assembly;

FIG. 3 is a substantially enlarged view showing the cross section of the run-out passageway and extruded wire member;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan elevational view of a wire pulling apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a wire extruding apparatus generally constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated includ ing an extrusion die assembly 1 and a forwardly projecting discharge tube 2. A run-out table assembly 3 is mounted in a longitudinal alignment with the discharge tube 2 and extends outwardly therefrom. The extrusion die assembly 1 is adapted to extrude a hot metal billet, not shown, from the die assembly 1 and through the tube 2 to form an extruded wire 4 which is deposited onto and travels outwardly on the run-out assembly 3 as hereinafter described.

The extrusion die assembly 1 is of any conventional or suitable construction which is adapted to take a metal billet and form an extruded wire 4 of substantial length. Generally, the extruded wire 4 is formed from a heated billet or the like, not shown, which is held within the die assembly l and rapidly extruded through a suitable die opening 5 and pushed outwardly through the tube 2, for example, as shown in the copending application of Wesley G. Martin entitled Die which was filed on July 24, 1961 with Serial No. 126,290 and which is assigned to a common assignee herewithv With the structure of the present invention, it has been found possible to form extruded wire of a length in excess of 400 feet.

The illustrated tube 2 is an elongated tubular member generally having a diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the extruded wire to be formed. The tube 2 is carried or otherwise secured to a tube plate 6 in alignment with the die opening 5. The tube 2 is supported by a suitable I-beam '7 carried by a plurality of vertical suitably spaced legs 8.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the runout assembly 3 generally includes a pair of laterally spaced I-beams 9 and 19 extending longitudinally with the tube 2 and supported by suitable vertical legs lll. A series of vertically disposed run-out support plates 12 are pivotally mounted generally centrally of the I-bearns 9 and 10 with the principal plane of the plates 12 lying in a vertical plane including the axis of the tube 2. A run-out bottom wall or table 13 is secured to the upper edges of the plates 12 and defines the lower wall of a runout passageway 14 through which the extruded wire 4 passes.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, the adjacent ends of the plates 17. are disposed end-toend and the plates 12 are secured within a single yoke 15 by suitable nut and bolt assemblies 16 and 17, respectively. The yoke is formed with a tubular split base 18 encircling and fixedly secured to the end of adjacent shafts 19 and 20 which extend longitudinally beneath the plates 12. Suitable nut and bolt units 21 pass through the split portion of the base 18 for releasably securing of the yoke to the shafts 19 and 20. Keys 22 mate with aligned slots in the yoke 15 and the shafts 19 and 20 to fix the yoke to the shafts for similar axial angular positioning. Beari'ng blocks 23 and 24 are secured to the respective shafts 19 and 2t) immediately adjacent the opposite ends of the yoke 15. The bearing blocks 23 and 24 project laterally with an upper projecting wall terminating overlying the edge of the I-beams 9 and 10. Clamping blocks 25 and 26 are secured in clamping relation with the respective bearing blocks 23 and 24 by suitable nut and bolt units to securely lock the bearing blocks in place. A depending arm 27 is secured generally axially of the base 18 of the yoke 15 and terminates immediately below the level of the I-beams 9 and 10. An air cylinder 28 is secured to the underside of the beam 9 with a connecting rod 29 slidably projecting out of the inner end of the cylinder and pivotally secured to the terminal end of the arm 27. The cylinder 28 is a double acting cylinder to selectively tilt or pivot the depending arm 27 laterally of the run-out assembly and to either side of the dead center position, as shown in phantom in FIG. 4. The pivoting of the arm 27 with the attendant pivoting of the yoke 15 and the attached run-out plates 12 cause the extruded wire to roll from the wall 13.

An open supporting gridwork is formed by a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending table rods 31. Each of the rods 31 extends through an enlarged opening 32 in the run-out plates 12 and is bent downwardly on the opposite side thereof to form a laterally slanting support for the discharged extruded wires 4. An inverted U-shaped channe -shaped support 33 is secured to the top of the I-beams 9 and 10 and the terminal ends of the table rods 31 are secured thereto. Cut-out or recess portions 34 are provided on the inner arm of the supports 33 with the rods 31 resting thereon to provide support for the rods 31 and the extruded wire 4 which are discharged from the bottom wall 13 of the passageway 14.

The passageway 14 includes the bottom wall 13 and a series of longitudinally aligned top wall run-out channels 35 supported in slightly spaced relation to the wall 13 as at 36. The top wall run-out channel 35 is mounted in position in the following manner most clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

L-shaped channels 37 are mounted laterally extending over the channel 35 and supported by suitable vertical braces 38 on opposite sides of the I-beams 9 and 10 and supports 33. Cap bolts 39 pass through openings in the channels 37 and thread into correspondingly tapped openings in the upper top wall of channels 35.

A separation plate 40 is also secured to one of the channels 37 and extends downwardly between the ends of adjacent run-out channels 35. An enlarged slot 41 is provided in the lower edge of the separation plate in alignment with the passageway 14.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3 an enlarged view of the run-out channel 35 and the bottom wall 13 is more clearly illustrated particularly with respect to the diameter of the extruded wire 4. The bottom wall 13 extends somewhat laterally of the lower edges of passageway 14 and is provided with chamfered lateral edges 42 to allow the previously described pivotal movement of the wall 13 with the run-out plates 12. The diameter of the passageway 14 at the central horizontal plane of the channel 35, as shown by phantom line 43, is essentially two times the diameter of the extruded wire 4 shown by phantom line 43. The ratio of 2 to 1 for the diameter of passageway 14 of the run-out tube assembly, as well as the discharge tube 2, to the wire diameter 12 has been determined to substantially constitute maximum diameter ratio which can be employed without a resulting twisting, curling and bunching of the forward end of the extruded wire. Actual extrusion of wire members has shown that as long as this critical maximum diameter relationship is maintained in the above order of range abnormal warping, twisting and curling of the wire as a result of the non-uniform speed is practically eliminated.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, discharge tube 2 is shown as a closed tubular member connected to the die assembly 1 and terminating adjacent the inlet end of the run-out assembly 3. In the extrusion process, the terminal end of the extruded wire 4 remains within the tube 2 and would normally prevent the movement of the extruded wire from the Wall 13. Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, the illustrated embodiment of the invention includes means for axially moving the wire 4 completely from the tube 2.

Pairs of opposed friction drive wheels 45 and 46 are horizontally spaced adjacent the input end of the run-out assembly 3 and are adapted to frictionally grip the wire 4 through suitable openings 47 provided in the lower edge of the adjacent run-out channels 35. A drive motor 48 is mounted overlying the top portion of the run-out assem- -bly and is coupled through a speed reducer 49 and a gear train 50 to the drive wheels 45. A chain drive 51 couples the drive wheels 45 to the drive wheels 46 and results in the synchronous rotation of the drive wheels 45 and 46.

Each of the wheels 45 and 46 is similarly mounted in the following manner with corresponding elements for each of the wheels 45 and 46 correspondingly numbered in the drawing. Each wheel is mounted upon the free end of a drive wheel arm 52 which is pivotally mounted upon a suitable shaft 53 at the opposite end thereof. A bell crank 54 is secured to the pivoted end of each arm 52 and extends perpendicularly inwardly. A pivot block 55 is mounted between the wheels 45 and between the wheels 46 and is secured to the adjacent ends of the bell crank 54 by a suitable pin 56. The pivot blocks 55 include central longitudinal apertures 57 and are slidably mounted on an actuating rod 58 which projects outwardly of a hydraulic cylinder 59 for selective axial positioning of the rod. The cylinder 59 is suitably mounted and connected to any suitable operating fluid or liquid source not shown. Coil springs 60 encircle the rod 58 on the side of the blocks 55 opposite the cylinder 53. The springs 60 are tensioned between the respective block 55 and suitable collars 61 which are secured to the actuating rod 58. The coil springs 60 continuously urge the pivot blocks 55 toward the cylinder 59 to cause the bell cranks 54 to pivot in a clockwise direction about the pivot shafts 53 as viewed in FIG. 6. Clockwise rotation of the cranks 54 results in cor-responding clockwise rotation of the arms 52 with the Wheels 45 and 46 moving toward each other into frictional gripping with the extruded wire 4. Release collars 62 are secured to the rod 58 to the side of the blocks 55 adjacent the cylinder 59. The cylinder 59, when properly actuated, axially positions the rod 58 with the collars 62 engaging and forcing the blocks 55 axially away from the cylinder. This movement causes the bell cranks 54 to pivot counterclockwise. The drive wheel arms 52 pivot similarly and Separate the opposed wheels 45 and 46 resulting in disengagement of the extruded wire 4.

In accordance with the present invention, during the extrusion process the wheels 45 and 46 are held in spaced relation to allow unrestricted movement of the extruded wire throughout the run-out passageway 14. Prior to withdrawing the work 4 from the tube 2, it is severed from the extrusion butt in the vicinity of the die by some means such as a flying shear which preferably severs the work 4 while it is still being extruded. At the very terminal end of the completion of the extruded wire 4, the cylinder 59 is actuated to retract the rod 58 and move collar 62 into spaced relation to blocks 55, as shown. The coil springs 60 move blocks 55 to pivot arms 52 and position the opposed drive Wheels 45 and 46 into frictional gripping engagement with the adjacent extruded wire 4 and to positively pull the wire 4 outwardly of the tube 2.

In summary, the illustrated embodiment of the invention is operated in the following manner. A heated billet or the like, not shown, is disposed in the extrusion die assembly 1. The cylinder 59 is actuated to separate the drive wheels 45 and 46 and allow free movement of an extruded wire 4 through run-out passage 14. The extrusion die assembly 1 is actuated to rapidly extrude the heated billet through the die assembly 1, the tube 2 and onto the extended run-out assembly 3 as a continuous unbroken extruded wire 4.

The extruded wire 4 is supported on the wall 13 Within the run-out assembly 3. As previously noted, as long as the ratio of the diameters of the run-out passageway 14 to the wire 4 is maintained at a maximum of two, the initial portion of the extruded wire 4 is not unduly curled, twisted or gathered together.

As the terminal end of the extrusion process is approached, the severing means 60 such as shown in U.S. Patent 2,896,782 and forming a part of the extrusion die assembly 1, as diagrammatically shown in FIG. l is actuated to sever the wire 4 and the cylinder 59, shown in FIG. 7, is actuated to retract the rod 58. The opposed drive 45 and 46 frictionally grip the extruded wire 4 and move it outwardly of the tube 2 such that the terminal end of the wire 4 is completely removed from the tube 2. The drive motor 48 for the wheels 45 and 46 can be energized continuously to maintain the drive wheels at a selected rotating speed generally corresponding to and closely related with the velocity of the movement of the extruded wire 4.

After the extruded wire 4 has been completely removed from the tube 2, the wire discharge cylinder 28 is operated to pivot the wall 13 to one side or the other of the passageway 14 and allow the extruded wire 4 to fall onto the grid work formed by the laterally extending rods 31. The extruded wires 4 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention alternately discharge to opposite sides of the run-out passageway 14.

The present invention provides an improved run-out assembly for supporting extruded wires and is particularly adapted to the provision of a run-out assembly for supporting extruded wires having a length in excess of 400 feet although shorter lengths can also be made if desired.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

We claim:

1. In a run-out assembly for a hot extruded wire-like element being extruded from a die assembly, said die assembly including means for severing said wire-like element in the vicinity thereof, a supporting framework, a series of supporting Walls longitudinally aligned in end to end relation for supporting the complete length of the extruded wire-like element, longitudinal shafts secured in end to end relation in alignment with the supporting walls and rotatably mounted on the framework, mounting means secured to the shafts and to the supporting walls, arms secured to each mounting means and depending therefrom, means to selectively position the arms and cause said supporting wall to bodily tilt to opposite sides thereof,

support means disposed on opposite sides of the supporting wall for receiving said extruded wire-like elements, and a series of run-out top wall members mounted in over-lying relation to the supporting walls for the complete length of the supporting walls and having an inverted U-shaped groove aligned with the supporting walls to define a runout passageway.

2. The run-out assembly of claim 1 having the diameter of the passageway being essentially no greater than twice the diameter of the extruded wire-like element.

3. The structure of claim 1 having a discharge tube means guiding the extruding wire-like element into said passageway, said discharge tube means also having a maximum internal diameter approximately twice the diameter of the wire-like element, and discharge means to selectively engage and positively move the terminal portion of the extruded wire-like element axially outwardly of the discharge tube.

4. In a run-out assembly for a hot extruded wire-like element being extruded from a die assembly, support means for supporting the extruded wire-like element as it is extruded from the die assembly, said support means defining a run-out passageway and including a tiltable wall for unloading said wire-like element from said support means, a discharge tube for guiding the wire-like element to the support means as it is being extruded, cutting means for severing the wire-like element in proximity to said die assembly at the end of the extrusion stroke, a pair of horizontally opposed drive wheels mounted one to each side of the passageway, pivot arms having the drive wheels rotatably secured to one end and pivotally mounted at the opposite end to locate the wheels to grip an extruded wire-like element, bell cranks secured one to each of the pivot arms and projecting inwardly, a crank block secured to the bell cranks, a shaft slidably carrying the crank block, means to axially move the shaft, a pair of collars secured to the shaft on opposite sides of the block, a coil spring encircling the shaft between the block and one of the collars and biasing said block to a position with the wheels located for gripping an extruded wire-like element, and means to position the shaft to engage the opposite collar with said block and positively hold the Wheels spaced from the extruded wire.

5. In an extrusion apparatus having a die assembly terminating in a discharge guide tube through which a wire-like element in excess of feet is extruded, a runout support having a pivotal lower Wall and an upper wall defining a passageway corresponding at least to the length of the extruded Wire-like element for the extruded wirelike element, cutting means for severing the wire-like element in proximity to the die assembly, and means for selectively engaging the extruded wire-like element in said passageway and pulling the terminal portion of the extruded wire-like element from the guide tube, said passageway and said guide tube each having a width of substantially twice the diameter of the wire-like element.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said last named means includes at least one pair of opposed wheels one each on an opposite side of the wire-like element, resilient means urging said wheels toward each other for frictionally gripping the wire-like element, means to rotate said wheels, and means to separate the wheels and allow free passage of the wire-like element therebetween.

7. Extrusion apparatus having a closed guide tube and a run-out table assembly including means for severing an extruded wire-like element in the vicinity of the extrusion apparatus, a run-out passageway for receiving the extruded wire-like element, comprising a pair of horizontally opposed drive wheels mounted one to each side of the runout passageway, pivot arms having the drive wheels rotatably secured to one end and pivotally mounted at the opposite end to locate the wheels to grip an extruded wirelike element, bell cranks secured one to each of the pivot arms and projecting inwardly, a crank block secured to the bell cranks, a shaft slidably carrying the crank block,

means to axially move the shaft, a pair of collars secured to the shaft on opposite sides of the block, a coil spring encircling the shaft between the block and one of the collars and biasing said block to a position with the wheels located for gripping an extruded wire-like element, and means to position the shaft to engage the opposite collar therewith and positively hold the wheels spaced from the extruded wire.

8. In an extrusion apparatus having a die assembly through which a wire-like element is extruded, means providing a supporting run-out passageway at least as long as the wire-like element and carrying the hot extruded wire-like element during the extrusion thereof, and said run-out passageway being generally tubular and having a diameter essentially twice the diameter of the extruded wire-like element.

9. In an extrusion apparatus having a die assembly through which a heated billet is extruded to form a wirelike element of a length of the order of 400 feet, a dis charge tube mounted in longitudinal alignment with the die assembly, a r-un-out table assembly mounted in longitudinal alignment with the discharge tube and having a passageway aligned with the discharge tube, said passageway being at least as long as the wire-like element, and

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,964,507 6/34 Drescher 8048 2,865,502 12/58 Anseher 207-l.2 2,922,194 1/ 60 Lampard et a1 207-l.2 2,950,815 8/60 Oberg 207l.2 2,954,121 9/60 Benson 207-12 3,028,006 4/62 Petsch et a]. 2071.2 3,084,795 4/ 63 McArthur 2071.2 3,116,831 1/64 Harwood et al 207--1.2

FOREIGN PATENTS 807,005 1/59 Great Britain.

MICHAEL V. BRINDISI, Primary Examiner. RICHARD H. EANES, Examiner. 

1. IN A RUN-OUT ASSEMBLY FOR A HOT EXTRUDED WIRE-LIKE ELEMENT BEING EXTRUDED FROM A DIE ASSEMBLY, SAID DIE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING MEANS FOR SEVERING SAID WIRE-LIKE ELEMENT IN THE VICINITY THEREOF, A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK, A SERIES OF SUPPORTING WALLS LONGITUDINALLY ALINGED IN END TO END RELATION FOR SUPPORTING THE COMPLETE LENGTH OF THE EXTRUDED WIRE-LIKE ELEMENT, LONGITUDINAL SHAFTS SECURED IN END TO END RELATION IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SUPPORTING WALLS AND ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAMEWORK, MOUNTING MEANS SECURED TO THE SHAFTS AND TO THE SUPPORTING WALLS, ARMS SECURED TO EACH MOUNTING MEANS AND DEPENDING THEREFROM, MEANS TO SELECTIVELY POSITION THE ARMS AND CAUSE SAID SUPPORTING WALL TO BODILY TILT TO OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, SUPPORT MEANS DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SUPPORTING WALL FOR RECEIVING SAID EXTRUDED WIRE-LIKE ELEMENTS, AND A SERIES OF RUN-OUT TOP WALL MEMBERS MOUNTED IN OVERLYING RELATION TO THE SUPPORTING WALLS FOR THE COMPLETE LENGTH OF THE SUPPORTING WALLS AND HAVING AN INVERTED U-SHAPED GROOVE ALIGNED WITH THE SUPPORTING WALLS TO DEFINE A RUNOUT PASSAGEWAY. 